R4a zone, Hamilton: Mid Rise Residential - Large Scale (R4a) Zone

What the R4a zone permits

• Artist Studio
• Commercial School
• Community Garden
• Craftsperson Shop
• Child Care Centre
• Educational Establishment
• Financial Establishment
• Lodging House
• Medical Clinic
• Multiple Dwelling
• Multiple Dwelling Townhouse
• Office
• Personal Service
• Place of Worship
• Repair Service
• Restaurant
• Retail
• Residential Care Facility
• Retirement Home
• Social Services Establishment
• Tradesperson's Shop
• Urban Farm
• Veterinary Service

Standards

Other provisions in this section

• 15.6.1.1 i): Art Gallery, Commercial School, Craftsperson Shop, Child Care Centre, Financial Establishment, Medical Clinic, Office, Personal Service, Place of Worship, Repair Service, Restaurant, Retail, Studio, Social Services Establishment, Tradesperson's Shop and Veterinary Service are permitted only as a secondary use to a Lodging House, Multiple Dwelling, Residential Care Facility or Retirement Home, and only within the ground floor of the building.
• 15.6.1.1 ii): An Office is limited to a maximum Gross Floor Area of 500.0 m² per individual building.
• 15.6.1.1 iii): A Multiple Dwelling Townhouse is only permitted on a lot containing a Lodging House, Multiple Dwelling, Residential Care Facility or Retirement Home of 18.0 m or more in height; the aggregate GFA of all Multiple Dwelling Townhouses shall not exceed 40% of the aggregate GFA of all uses on the lot (does not apply to a townhouse existing October 8, 2025 with no increase in dwelling units).
• 15.6.1.2 Prohibited uses, even as accessory: Drive-Through Facility; Educational Establishment consisting of a College or University.
• 15.6.2.1 f) Minimum distance between buildings on a lot (Multiple Dwelling etc.): 6.0 m between walls with no Habitable Room windows; where at least one wall has Habitable Room windows: 15.0 m for portions up to 14.0 m in height, 20.0 m for portions above 14.0 m.
• 15.6.2.1 g) Built form for new development: rooftop mechanical equipment screened from abutting streets; no parking or aisles between the building facade and a Street Line; principal entrances must face the street with direct access from the public sidewalk; a sidewalk is permitted within a Planting Strip where required; at least 50% of the ground-floor facade containing a 15.6.1.1 i) use must be clear glazed windows/doors (sill up to 0.6 m may count; signage and opaque/spandrel glazing excluded); a walkway at least 1.5 m wide leading to a street is required in the interior side yard.
• 15.6.2.1 h) Minimum Amenity Area for a Multiple Dwelling on a lot with more than 10 Dwelling Units: 5.0 m² per Dwelling Unit, of which 3.0 m² outdoors on or above the ground (at least 50% contiguous) and 2.0 m² indoors; exclusive to the residential use and separated from non-residential public areas.
• 15.6.2.1 i) Planting Strip: minimum 3.0 m wide where a lot line abuts an R1, R1a, R2, I1 or I2 zone; 2.0 m wide for lots identified on Figure 46 of Schedule F.
• 15.6.2.1 j) A visual barrier is required along any lot line abutting a Residential, Institutional or Downtown (D5) zone per Section 4.19.
• 15.6.2.1 l) and 15.6.2.2 k) Maximum vehicular accesses on a lot: two access driveways, plus one additional driveway for every 150.0 m of cumulative lot line abutting a street.
• 15.6.2.1 m) and 15.6.2.2 n) Outdoor waste storage must be fully enclosed and not located in the front yard.
• 15.6.2.2 a) Multiple Dwelling Townhouse: not more than eight (8) Dwelling Units attached in a continuous row.
• 15.6.2.2 e) Minimum distance between townhouse buildings on a lot: 3.0 m (no Habitable Room windows on either wall); 6.0 m (at least one wall with Habitable Room windows); 12.0 m (both walls with Habitable Room windows).
• 15.6.2.2 g) Townhouse new development: rooftop mechanical equipment located and/or screened from view of any abutting street.
• 15.6.2.2 i) Townhouse Amenity Area: 5.0 m² per Dwelling Unit (communal, exclusive or combination; outdoor areas unobstructed, at or above the surface, may include balconies and patios); plus 4.0 m² per Dwelling Unit that is stacked above another unit or back-to-back with another unit, provided in outdoor at-grade communal areas each at least 20.0 m².
• 15.6.2.2 j) Townhouse parking: no parking spaces between a Facade and the Front Lot Line or a Flankage Lot Line, except on individual driveways leading to garages forming part of a Dwelling Unit.
• 15.6.2.2 l) Any townhouse Dwelling Unit adjacent to a yard abutting a street must have at least one pedestrian entrance located in a Facade.
• 15.6.2.2 m) The floor level of any principal pedestrian entrance (townhouse) shall be a maximum of 1.2 m above Grade.
• 15.6.3 Single Detached, Semi-Detached, Duplex, Triplex, Fourplex and Street Townhouse dwellings legally existing October 8, 2025 may be enlarged by up to 10% of the GFA existing at that date, provided the existing side yard and front yard setbacks are maintained (in addition to Section 4.12 j); Planning Act s.34(10)).
• 15.6.4 Urban Farms per Section 4.26 (c) and Community Gardens per Section 4.27; both only permitted in the Rear Yard or on the roof-top of the principal building.
• Lots identified on Figure 46 of Schedule F - Special Figures have reduced setbacks, planting strip and landscaped area requirements (see individual standards).